Vikings Receive Mixed Grades for 2 Deadline Trades
The trade deadline was a busy time for the Minnesota Vikings as they swung not one, but two trades on Tuesday.
The Vikings received some positive feedback for their acquisition quarterback Joshua Dobbs and trade of guard Ezra Cleveland, but the media didn’t hand out all As and Bs for the purple, either.
Here is a look at the mixed grades that the Vikings received from some of the major media outlets around the country.
Vikings Graded Low by Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton saw the Dobbs move as simply average and a loss for the Vikings.
Moton noted that Dobbs “struggled in his last four starts” and referred to Dobbs as “decent stopgap quarterback who could add another wrinkle” on offense. Dobbs has 258 yards rushing and three TDs plus his 1,569 yards passing for eight TDs versus five interceptions.
He gave ‘C’ for the Dobbs trade and issued higher grades, ‘C+’, for the Arizona Cardinals. Though Dobbs turned heads early in the season with the Cardinals’ upset of the Dallas Cowboys, as Moton noted, the Vikings chose a quarterback whom the Cardinals saw a decline in.
“If called upon to start over Hall, perhaps Dobbs sees a spike in passing production with emerging rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison and star wideout Justin Jefferson, who could return from a hamstring injury at some point this season,” Moton wrote.
As for the Cleveland trade, Moton gave the Vikings a ‘C-‘ for sending the starting-caliber guard to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who received an ‘A’ for the move. Jacksonville only gave up a sixth-round pick, and Moton considers it a risk for the Vikings overall.
“The Vikings didn’t hurt their ability to compete for a playoff spot with this transaction, and if they plan to re-sign [Dalton] Risner on a modest extension, the front office will save some money,” Moton wrote. “Yet Minnesota takes a risk with an older guard who didn’t generate a ton of buzz on the free-agent market this past offseason.”
USA Today: B+
USA Today gave kudos to the Vikings for acquiring Dobbs. The Vikings found “caretaker QB” for little cost but has a history of being “a fast study” in new offenses as USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz described.
“Given the paltry cost for the acquisition, this might have been the best available stopgap solution for an unenviable situation,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote.
Minnesota likewise received a good grade for the Cleveland trade with the Jaguars. As Middle-Schwartz noted, Cleveland’s two missed games at guard and Risner’s abilities make this a solid move for the purple.
CBS Sports: a mixed bag
CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani and Garrett Podell gave the Vikings an ‘A’ for the Dobbs trade but a ‘C’ for sending Cleveland to Jacksonville.
While CBS Sports noted the “quick study” ability of Dobbs, the network highlighted that his brilliance is out of this world off the football field. Dobbs, who has a degree in aerospace engineering from Tennessee, has interned with NASA plus Pratt & Whitney in the past.
As for Cleveland, CBS Sports viewed the trade making the Vikings “both sellers and buyers at the trade deadline” on Tuesday. The Vikings gaining draft capital while the Jaguars get a quality guard doesn’t work in the purple’s favor as CBS Sports sees it.
The Athletic Declares Vikings Winner of Dobbs Trade
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe declared the Vikings the winner of the Dobbs trade with the Cardinals but only gave a ‘B’ for the purple’s move. The Cardinals only received a ‘C+’ for the trade though it helps with the team’s rebuild.
Howe noted that Dobbs “flashed some running ability” and “played relatively well” upon joining the Cardinals last minute before the season. While the Vikings won’t throw in Dobbs against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, the Vikings will want to see Dobbs “repeat that feat” in his new uniform soon, as Howe put it.
Sports Illustrated Declares a Tie
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame sees the Vikings and Cardinals as benefitting equally in the Dobbs trade.
Verderame gave both sides a ‘B’ because Dobbs “will have a better chance to succeed” with the Vikings, and the Cardinals added draft capital in the process. In addition, the Cardinals planned to bench Dobbs, based on head coach Jonathan Gannon’s comments on Monday, as Verderame noted.
Sporting News Sees Gap in Vikings’ decisions
While Sporting News’ Jacob Camenker gave the Vikings an ‘A-‘ for the Dobbs trade, Camenker saw the Cleveland trade as a loss with a ‘C’ grade.
The Jaguars received a strong guard in Cleveland, and Camenker gave the team an ‘A’ for that move. Camenker also noted that it hurts the Vikings’ offensive line depth though he acknowledged the move made sense if Cleveland wasn’t retainable in 2024.
Camenker only gave a slight nod to the Vikings over the Cardinals, a ‘B+’ grade, in the Dobbs trade. The Cardinals move up in the draft as Camenker noted while Dobbs gets to work with a stronger offense in Minnesota.
